Multiple spindle turning



.D. TURCOTT MULTIPLE SPINDLE TURNING APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 1a. 1923 4 sheets-shat 1 011.21, 1924. 1 1,512,381 D, TURCOTT MULTIPLE SPINDLE TURNING APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 16. 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 21 1924.

' 1,512,381 D. TURCOTT MULTIPLE SPINDLE TURNING'APPLIANCE Filed Aug. 16, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID TURCOTT, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN,

ASSIGNOR TO 3?. YATES MACHINE COM-- PANY, OF BELOIT, WISCGNSIN, A GOIt-PGRATION O1 WISCONSIN.

MULTIPLE-SPINIJLE TURNING APPLIANCE.

Application filed August 16, 1923.

V zenof the United States, residing at Beloit,

in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Multiple-Spindle Turning Appliances, of which the following is a specification. I

My present invention pertains to wood and similar turning machines equipped with a plurality of stock or work holding spindles, although some features of the invention are suitable for satisfactory employment in e an appliance incorporating one set only of Cir such spindles.

One aim of the invention is to provide a simple and suitable mechanism which will advance the work gradually into position to be operated upon by the rapidly-revolving knives, and desirably in association with means which will locker hold parts fixedly in position during the turningoperation.

Another aim of the invention is to supply an appliance of this general type in which the pieces of stock 1 ay be introduced into the machine manually, the mechanism itself automatically and properly inserting them between the spindles or centers which hold the work and revolve it during the turning operation.

To the satisfactory acomplishment of these and several other desirable objects,.I have devised the preferred embodiment of the iii-- vention illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and throughout the several views .of which like reference characters refer to the same parts.

In these drawings,-

Fig. l'is a partial elevation of the appliance and a partial vertical section through the front drive shaft;

Fig. .2 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section through the main shaft of the machine; r r

- is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, horizontal, plan section on line 4: 4: of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical, cross section on line 55 of Fig. 1; f L

6 is a similar section on line 66 of Fig. l, the parts being viewed in the opposite direction; and

Serial No. 657,698.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, with some of the elements occupying different positions.

By reference to these drawings, and par: ticularly to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the machine includes a main frame table 21,

ion the rear portion of whichstandards 22 accomodate a suitably-driven cutterehaft 23, the rotation of the blades of which is illus-. trated diagrammatically by the circle 24.

inasmuch as such portion of the mechanism is of more or less standard well known construction, no detailed description of the same is seemingly required.

(in the front portion of the table 21 a supplemental support or table 25 is acoommodated, being adjustable toward and from the cutter-shaft by any appropriate and suitable means, such as the typical screw appliances 26, 26, indicated.

Referring now to ll 1, it will be seen that the headstock casting 27 provides two alined bearings 28 and 29 for a front drive shaft 8l-on a reduced-diameter section of which, inside of the casing 32, a W0 1 ..-wheel 33 is revoluble, being driven by a worm 34 on an upright shaft 35.

The hub of such worm-wheel may be coupled to and uncoupled from the end portion of: shaft 31 by a suitable clutch mechanism 36, one element of which is adapted to be operated or slid on the end portion of shaft 31 by a rod 3'? slidable in a bearing 39 in the casingcover 4:1, and having pinned to its inner end the hub ofa yoke 38 operatively associated with the reciprocating element of the clutch mechanism... such sliding rod or shaft outside of the casing-cover having a manipulating handle 4-2 supplied with a pin 44 whichmay bear on the end of the bearing portion of the cover 41 to hold the clutch in inoperative position, or which may be permitted to enter the reces to to render the clutch operative, a spring 43 being interposed between the inner face of the cover 41 and the adjacent end of the hub of the member 38, and tending to slide the clutch elements into operative engagement with one another.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be perceived that the inner end of this drive shaft 31 is supplied with a pinion 46, the teeth of which are in mesh with those of a gear '47 (Figs. 1 and2) splined or keyed to a sleeve 48 revoluble on a main shaft 49 rotatable in a bearing 51 of the casting 27 and in a bearin 52 of a tail-stock bracket or support 53 longitudinally adjustable by a bolt-and-slot connection 54 with a plate 55 secured by bolts or otherwise to'the secondary table or support 25.

Near its other end, a shouldered portion of this shaft is equipped with a. ball thrustbearing 56 of any customary or appropriate form.

At its inner end, sleeve 48 has a gear 57 integral therewith, the teeth of which are in mesh with those of six smaller gears 58 spaced apart equally around the central gear 57, each gear 58 having a shaft or spindle portion revoluble in bearings 59 and 61 located, respectively, in a casting 62 having a hub 63 keyed to the shaft 49, and in a plate 64 fastened in any approved way to the element 62.

Each of these gear-equipped spindles or shafts is supplied with a pronged or toothed center 65 adapted to be forced into one end of the stock to be turned and to rotate the latter.

In this mechanism the head and tail stocks are revolved step by step or intermittently to bring the respective pieces of work into and out of the field of action of the revolvingcutters, and this is desirably accomplished by keying or otherwise fastening to shaft 49, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and. 3, a disk-member 66 provided with six; equallyspaced, radially-disposed, open-ended slots 67, the periphery of the disk betweensaid slots being of concave or arcuate form, as

indicated at 68.

Adjacent to this slotted member 66 form ing part of a-Geneva movement, the shaft 49 also has keyed to it a disk 69 provided on its edge with six equally-spaced notches or recesses 71.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that an element having two spaced disks 72 and 73 and an intermediate cylindrical section 74 with a recess 75 on one side, is keyed or otherwise securely fastened to it, and hence rotatable with the dr w shaft 31.

Between and mounted on the disks ('2 and '73, I employ an anti-friction roller T6 of a liameter substantially equalling the width of the slots 67 and adapted to co-operate with the'latter for the intermittent or interrupted turning of shaft 49.

The mutilated or recessed cylindrical part 74 and the roller 76 in co-operation with the disk 66 form a Geneva movement, the roller during its occupancy of one of the slots and while turning around the axis of the shaft 31 effecting a partial rotation of the shaft 49, the latter being locked against rotation during the remainder of the revolution of the roller by reason of the cylindrical member 74 occupying one of the cavities or recesses 68 of the plate.

The cover 77 (Fig. for this part of the machine is apertured to accommodate a. socket member 79 secured thereto by screws 78, 78, the cylindrical socket of such member slidingly accommodating a plunger 8], fitted at its end with a roller 82 adapted to enter any one of the recesses 71 and lock the plate 69 and shaft '49 against turning, the roller traveling on the edge of the disk between such cavities; Plunger 81 is prevented from turning in its bearing by reason of a inand-slot construction 83, which also limits the extent of movement of the plunger, which is forced toward the disk by a coiled, expansion spring 84 in a socket between the end of the latter and the adjacent end of the plunger.

Although the shaft 49 is locked against rotation when it is not being turned by the Geneva movement, this supplemental lock 71, 82 prevents any objectionable or detrimental vibration or chattering of the elements involved, it being undesirable to make the Geneva movement of such close lit as to.

overcome all such tendency.

Turning now to the tail-stock member which has an adjustable slot connection'86 with the shaft 49, such member 85has siX equallyspaced, circularly-arranged barrels 87 with cylindrical bearings, each'receiving a plunger 88 fitted at one end with an antifriction roller 89 hearing against the edge. or face of a stationary cam 91 on the part 53, each plunger 88 being yieldingly pressed toward the cam by a spring 92 encircling a reduced-diameter stem of the part 88 and.

bearing against the shoulders of the companion elements 87 and 88.

Each hollow, cylindrical plunger-stem re ferred to internally accommodatesa secondary plunger 93 supplied with a rotatable tail center or spindle 94 coact-ing with a ball thrust-bearing in the interior of the part 93, a screw 95 being secured to the plunger 93 and extending through a central bearing in the element 88, a coiled cushion-spring 96 encircling the screw 95 and hearing at its two ends on the parts 88 and93, thus giving a somewhat yielding, sliding mounting for the tail spindle or center 94.

It is to be understood that the six tail spindles or centers are] always in register or alinement with. their complementary workrotating headspindles or centers 65, the rotation of the tail-stock around the axis of shaft 49, and by reason of the'cam construc tion specified, bringing about the successive approach of the tail-spindles toward their corresponding head-spindles to engage the work, and their retraction or separation to discharge or deliver the finished work.

An arm 97, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, has a hub portion, as illustrated in Fig. 2, rock commodate the. angular piece of work or stock 102, before and during its application to the spindles or centers.

Arm 97 has a stop 103 designed to engage a an adjustable abutment 104 to hold the seat or saddle in proper position for the rece tion of the piece of wood or other stock 102, the screw abutment 104 being mounted in a casting 105 having a front yoke portion 106 secured to the' plate or table by screws 107, as shown in Fig. 1..

In addition,- arm 97 has another stop 108 designed and adapted to engageasecond screw-threaded, adjustable abutment 109 mounted on the part 105, the stop 108 limiting the extent of upward swinging of the arm 97 as portrayed in Fig; 7.

A pawl or dog 111 fulcrumed at 112 on arm 97 has a tail 113 against which bears the end of a plunger or rod 114 slidingly accommodated in a bearing 115 forming part of the arm and fitted with a cap 116, between which and the end of the rod a cushion spring 117 is interposed, permitting retraction or inward movement of the rod under conditions hereinafterspecified.

The tooth of the dog or pawl 111 co -operates with the 'teeth or shoulders of a ratchet-wheel 118 fixed, as by a set-screw, to

the head-stock member 63, the hubof arm 97 being held in proper position on the shaft 49 by a collar 119 so as to maintain the pawl 111 in the plane of the teeth of the ratchetwheel. I

The under side of the inclined portion of the casting 105- is fitted with a projecting sheet-metal shield 121,.and beneath this and extending forwardly through the part 106 I employ a sloping chute 122 for the forward,

a downward discharge of the finished, turned articles. 6

' The machine operates practically as follows:

Assuming that the handle 42 has been turned and pushed in so that the clutch 36 is operatively connecting the worm-wheel 33 with the shaft 31, whereby the latter constantly rotates, its gear 46 continuously revolves the larger gear 47, and this similarly turns the companion gear in mesh with the plurality of smaller gears 58, bringing about as the parts are viewed in Fig. 3, this revolution of the elements being permitted at that moment because the mutilated cylindrical part 74 during its uninterrupted rotation has turned sufliciently in the corresponding recess or cavity 68 to unlock the disk 66, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

As the roller 76 makes one-third of a revolution around the axis of shaft 31, it effects a one-sixth revolution of the shaft 49 and the head and tail stock members, the locking roller 82 during such turning of the parts being forced back and out of the one recess 71 until it is permitted to enter the next corresponding locking recess, in which relation it holds the parts of the mechanism from chattering and vibrating during the wood-turning operation.

During such one-third revolution of roller 76, a completed, turned article is carried out of the field of action of the revolving knives and a new piece of stock is moved into such cutting field of action, and the new stock gradually approaches the cutters with a progressively-increasing speed, as is desirable to prevent undue strain on the parts and to produce a high grade of finished work.

That is to say, as the roller 76 begins to enter the slot 67, the rotation of the disk 66 is comparatively slow, but increases as the roller travels inwardly, and then decreases as the roller travels outwardly.

During the other two-thirds revolution of the roller 76, during which period itis not in any slot 67, the disk 66 is locked against turning by the cylindrical periphery of the part 74 which occupies one of the cav ities 68, and in addition the parts are further locked'b-y the roller 82.

The workman places the piece of wood 102.111 the saddle 101 while the latter is in the position indicated in Fig. 6 and while the head and tail stock members 63 and'85 are stationary, the head-stock spindles or centers 65, of course,.revolving by reason of their gear connections with the driveshaft 31. I

During each one-sixth revolution of the shaft 49 at a variable speed, as brought about by the Geneva movement described, the ratchet-wheel 118, rotated by and with the shaft, carries the arm 97 upwardly by reason of the engagement of the dog 111 with the corresponding tooth of the ratchetwheel, and during such movement of the parts the corresponding tail-stock spindle or center 94 is pushed toward its alined, complementary headstock spindle or center by the action of the stationary cam 91 on its roller 89, such movement of the tail spindle or center forcing the two centers into the opposite ends of the work piece 102, which is maintained in register or alinement therewith during the upward travel of the two centers, which is simultaneous with the sliding movement of the tail center or spindle.

After the stock has thus been automatically properly centered and mounted on the two spindles, the stop 108 will come into engagement with the abutment 109, preventing further upward swinging of the arm 97, so that continued slight rotation of the ratchet-wheel rocks the dog on its fulcrum 112 against the pressingaction of the plunger 114, thereby releasing the dog from the ratchet-wheel and permitting the arm 97 and the parts which it carries to swing down automatically under its own weight into its original position, as shown in Fig. 6, with the stop 103 against the abutment 104:. V

The seat 101 is now ready to receive another piece of work, and as the parts make their next one-sixth revolution, it will travel along in alinement with its centers until they have properly engaged it, whereupon it will swing down again to initial position, ready to receive the next piece of Work.

As each centered, supported and rotated piece of work 102- travels step by step around the axis of shaft 19, at the back part of the machine it is brought into the field of action of the cutters and turned to proper shape, and as it continues its stepby-step movement, its supporting centers are permitted to be separated by reason of the shape of cam 91, and the finished article drops into the chute 122, rolling down the latter to be delivered at the front of the machine.

It will be seen that the single work-seat 101 is supplied manually with the pieces of work in succession, and that this by its movement successively moves the work for application to the sets of centers or spindles.

This invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments, and is hence not limited to the'precise and exact mechanical. details pre sented, the scope of the invention being dc fined by the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a multiple-spindle turning-appliance, the combination of a plurality of pairs of complementary alined head and tail spindles, means to revolve at least one-spinproach of the pairs of spindles until the work is engaged and supported by the spindles and to return the support to initial position between such movements thereof to receive the next piece of work preliminary to its succeeding movement.

2. In a multiple-spindle turning-appliance, the combination of a plurality of pairs of complementary alined head and tail spindles, means to revolve at least one spindle of each pair about its own axis, a G eneva movement to turn the pairs of spindles step by step about a common axis to carry their pieces of work at a gradually increasing speed successively into the field of action of cutting knives, a lock supplemental to the Geneva movement to. hold said spindles against vibration with their work fully home in the field of action of the cutting knives, means to cause thepairs of spindles in succession to approach one another relatively to engage the ends of the work, a work-support, and means to rock said sup-- port about said common axis with its work in register successively with the pairs ot spindles during the travel of the latter toward the knives and during the relative approach of the pairs of. spindles until the work is engaged and supported by the spin-- dles and to return the support to initial position between such movements thereof to receive the next piece of work to its succeeding movement.

V In witness whereof I'have hereunto set my hand and seal.

DAVID TURCOTT. [1,. s1

preliminary 

